Temperatures inside a car can be deadly

With the heat out east, muggy weather here and a record number of kids so far this year dying from being left in vehicles I decided it was time to revisit just how quickly the temperature can rise in a car!  The Milwaukee/Sullivan National Weather Service conducted an "unscientific" study back in 2006 to see just how hot it can get inside a vehicle compared to the temperature outside.  The study, I think, will amaze you!  You can get all the full details by clicking here.  A vehicle acts like a 'greenhouse' and doesn't let the incoming solar rays to radiate back out.  Therefore, the temperature inside an enclosed vehicle can rise to dangerous levels very quickly so it is very important to never leave children or pets inside a vehicle even if it's only for a few minutes.  Also, make sure you check your back seat so that no one is left behind!

Watching the Atlantic

Eyes once again turn to the Gulf and the Atlantic this morning where three waves will bring some sort of impact over the next couple of days.  The first - moving through the northern Gulf - has a very low percentage of becoming a tropical cyclone before making landfall within the next couple of days.  It will, however, bring heavy rainfall to the Gulf states and long the western Florida coast.  The second wave over the northwestern Caribbean Sea has become a little less organized than in previous days but still could form into a tropical depression as it enters into somewhat of a favorable environment over the next several days.  Heavy rain will again be more of a threat over the Cayman Islands, Yucatan Peninsula and western Cuba.  The third trouble maker is currently moving through the far eastern Caribbean Sea and is producing an area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms across the Lesser Antilles.  Upper level winds are not favorable for significant development as it continues to move west, but like with the other two, heavy rain will be a major factor.

Muggy Here...but Could be Worse

The comfortable weather we had last week will soon be a distant memory with strong high pressure out east pumping a tropical airmass across the Great Lakes.  With the high anchored across the Mid-Atlantic for the next couple of days, heavy rain will be likely across parts of the Midwest this week.  A stationary front drapped from northern Wisconsin through Iowa and into the southern Plains will stay out west and remain the focus for flooding rains across parts of Iowa and northern Missouri through Thursday.  The high in the east will finally start to break down and bring an end to the rain threat towards the end of the week. 

While rain will be our headache the next couple of days, the heat in the east is going to be the big story.  Sunny skies and temperatures rising into the mid and upper 90s with a few triple digit numbers will be likely through Pennsylvania, New York, Boston and up the New England Coast.

Tropical Humidity

The Stateline is on the eastern edge of deep tropical moisture, and most of the the showers and thunderstorms are lagging back to the west across Missouri and Iowa to the east of a slow moving cool front that is about to stall out to our west for a couple of days.   It will be very warm and muggy overnight with low's in the low 70's. Showers are expected to ease eastward out of eastern Iowa into northwestern and north central Illinois later tonight. Cloud cover and very humid air along with intermittent showers and scattered thunderstorms on Monday, will keep the temperature from rising out of the low 80's. With the front stalled to our west there will continue to be a good chance of showers and thunderstorms off and on through Wednesday.  Very heavy rains are anticipated farther to the west stretching from southeastern Kansas through Kansas city northeast across Iowa.  There could be some rainfall totals in the next 3 days of more than 5" in that area.  The stateline has the potential for picking up 1" to 2" of rain by late Wednesday with some locally higher 3" amounts.  It does look like the heavier rains, though, will be off the the west of the Stateline. 
by Meteorologist
Eric Nefstead

It Was Great While it Lasted!

The huge area of high pressure that provided fabulous weather for the Stateline since Tuesday has moved to the east coast, and that is where it is going to stop fro a good part of the upcoming week.  It will act as a blocking force, a warm air pump, and a moisture pump for the next few days.  Showers and thunderstorms have broken out across the central and northern plains in advance of a slow moveing cold front stretching from northewestern Minnesota across central South Dakota,northwestern Nebraska into a low over southeast Wyoming.  Deep tropical moisture is flowing northward from the remnants of "Alex", and will cause heavy rains to develop along and east of the front as is inches slowly in our direction.  Heavy rains will be possible across parts of the Stateline Sunday night and Monday.  Right now it appears as if the heaviest rains will fall to our west and northwest, but with the amount of moisture available, locally heavy rains cannot be ruled out for north central Illinois.  As of this time it appears that the Rockord area has a good chance of picking up at least 2" of rain this coming week.  It could be more, and needs to be watched.
By Meteorologist
Eric Nefstead

Mother Nature's Fireworks

Too bad we can't just bottle up the weather we've had to past several days and keep it for the weekend.  While today and tomorrow look dry, Sunday could very well be a different story.  High pressure this week has blocked any moisture from the Gulf to move north and has kept things very comfortable.  As the high gradually shifts off to the east this weekend, the Gulf will be wide open and allow moisture to stream into the Great Lakes.  That, combined with a cold front, could bring some thunderstorms Sunday afternoon as well as the potential for heavy rainfall Sunday night and again Monday night.  Let's talk first about Sunday - If you're planning on traveling west of the Stateline you will run into a better chance of a few storms Sunday morning.  That chance will gradually begin to increase through the afternoon and evening as the front moves east.  If the front slows any Sunday morning - our chance of getting in the fireworks will increase.  However, if it speeds up some we could be dealing with a few storms during the afternoon.  Once Sunday passes our focus will then turn to the heavy rain potential Sunday night through Tuesday. 

Alex Soon to Weaken to A Depression

Tropical Storm Alex, like most tropical lows, is weakening now that it's been over land for about 24 hours. It currently has maximum sustained winds of 40mph and is moving toward the west at 13mph. It's minimum central pressure is now at 29.23"... Quite a bit higher than the 27.9-something readings we were seeing at its peak strength yesterday evening. Alex is currently located about 220 miles to the west of La Pesca, Mexico and is weakening quickly over the higher terrain of that nation's interior. An additional 2-4 inches of rain could still fall over northern Mexico and southern Texas, so flooding is still a concern.  --TS